John Ernst, responsible for the shooting attack in California (Photo: From Twitter)
On the way to jail: The U.S. Federal Court sentenced John Ernest to another 30 years in prison tonight (Wednesday) for carrying out a shooting attack at a Chabad synagogue in the city of Pavay, California in April 2019. The current sentence joins another life sentence Sentenced in California State Court for the attack, in which Lori Gilbert Kay was murdered and three other worshipers were injured.
In the ruling, Judge Anthony Batalia ruled that the two life sentences would run one after the other, and not in parallel – with 22-year-old Ernest spending the rest of his life in prison. The judge noted that this was a symbolic decision, intended to “convey a strong message – that there is no place in American society for this kind of violence fueled by hatred.”
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland welcomed the court’s ruling. “All the people in this country should be able to practice their religion freely without fear of being attacked,” he said. “This terrible crime was an attack on the fundamental principles of our nation.”
Chabad House in Pavay, where the shooting took place (Photo: Shatterstock)
As you may recall, the shooting attack in California took place on April 27, 2019, during a prayer service held for the last good day of Passover. In the attack, worshiper Lori Gilbert Kay, 60, from San Diego, was killed and three other worshipers were injured – including community rabbi Israel Goldstein, who lost two fingers, as well as two Israeli citizens who moved from Sderot to California: Almog Peretz, 31, and his 8-year-old niece Noya. Dahan.
Ernest arrived at the synagogue armed with a pistol and opened fire at worshipers at the venue, according to the prosecution he fired between eight and ten bullets before his rifle got stuck – which prevented him from firing the 50 bullets he had left in the cartridge. Prior to the shooting, he posted a manifesto on Facebook, in which he claimed that he acted out of hatred for Jews and claimed that he was influenced by the massacre at the Pittsburgh synagogue in October 2019.
“If you had told me six months ago that I would do this, I would have been surprised – but Brenton Trant and Robert Bowers (in charge of the Pittsburgh massacre) were my catalysts,” he said. “To all my family and friends – I can already hear your voices. You ask: ‘How could you throw away your life? You had everything – a loving family, good friends, a church, academic excellence. You could make so much money and start your own happy family.’ “I understand what you are asking, but I raise another question – what is all this compared to the whole European race? Is it worth it for me to live a comfortable life at the expense of the Jewish international community putting an end to my race? No.”
I will not sell my soul by sitting quietly while evil rises, “he added, referring to his hatred of Jews.” I would rather die or live the rest of my life in prison than spend my life knowing I did nothing to stop this evil. Not in my blood to be a coward. I sacrifice my future – the future that will include satisfying work, a loving wife, and amazing children – for our people. I would like to die a thousand times to prevent the cruel fate that the Jews planned for my race. “
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